Power Driven Podcast

• What We Got Away With Until We Didn’t

  In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, Todd, Will, and Meyer share some of the wildest stories from their years of building, racing, and blowing up diesel trucks. It’s all about the parts and setups they got away with, until they didn’t. From running big horsepower through stock head bolts to pushing factory transmissions way past their limits, this one is packed with real experiences that every diesel enthusiast can relate to.They dive into the sketchy builds that somehow worked, the forum advice that didn’t hold up in the real world, and the moments when things failed in the most dramatic ways possible. Whether it was blowing up a turbo with no wastegate, trusting a junkyard CP3 that destroyed a brand-new set of injectors, or melting stacks while trying to show off, these stories are honest, technical, and a little bit ridiculous. You’ll hear why some stock Cummins parts can handle insane abuse, how weight and RPM play a bigger role than most people think, and why pushing parts too far always has a cost.The guys also talk about things like crankshaft failures in 6.7 engines, the hidden risks of reusing old components, and how poor engine clearances or improper torque specs can wreck a build fast. There’s plenty of discussion about valve float, clutch slip, flexplate failures, and why getting away with something once doesn’t mean it’ll work forever.Whether you’re building a race truck, towing heavy with your street setup, or just starting your first diesel build, this episode will give you a ton of insight into what actually works, what doesn’t, and what’s worth doing right the first time. It’s a great mix of technical info, hard-earned lessons, and the kind of behind-the-scenes stories you only get from guys who have broken just about everything in the name of diesel performance.If you’ve ever thought “it’ll probably hold,” you’ll want to hear this one. Like, subscribe, and let us know in the comments what you’ve gotten away with or what blew up before you made it home.

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• Are Waste gates Worth It or Just Wasted Time?

  Will and Myer hit the Dyno with one goal in mind. Find out if external wastegates actually help make more power on a compound turbo setup or if they’re just adding extra complexity for nothing. After 43 pulls on Will’s 6.7L Cummins race truck, they’ve got some answers and a few surprises.They tested screamer pipes and hot pipe gates, played with turbine housing sizes, swapped cams and valve train parts, and tried different control strategies to get this setup to break past 1800 horsepower on fuel only. Some combos picked up power. Some didn’t. And a few just made things harder to tune.In this episode you’ll hear- How screamer pipes compared to hot pipe gates in real-world Dyno testing- What boost and drive pressure numbers actually meant for power- Why a 900 horsepower street truck might benefit more from gating than a full race build- How housing changes made the gating more or less effectiveWhat the data told us about controlling the manifold charger without snuffing itWill also shares his theory on why this truck might be capped just short of 2000 horsepower and what it’s going to take to push past it.Myer brings in insight from testing smaller builds like the Junker and the VP Dually and how they responded to different wastegate setups.If you’re building a high horsepower truck or just trying to get your setup dialed in, this one’s worth a listenSubscribe to the Power Driven Diesel YouTube channel for more Dyno testing and real-world tuningShop the parts we used at www.powerdrivendiesel.comDrop a comment if you want more live streams or have questions for Will and MyerShop the parts we used at www.powerdrivendiesel.comDrop a comment if you want more live streams or have questions for Will and Myer

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• The Head Gasket Hack Every Diesel Guy Needs to Know

  In this episode of the Power Driven Diesel Podcast, we’re tackling one of the most common questions we get from guys in the diesel performance world. What’s the real difference between O-rings and firings, and which one should you be running in your build? Whether you’re building a weekend warrior, daily driving your truck, hauling heavy loads, or chasing horsepower numbers with compound turbos, the type of head sealing setup you use can make a big difference in performance and reliability.We break down what each option actually is, how they work, and what kind of situations they’re best suited for. O-rings and firings both have their place, but they serve different purposes. If you’re planning to run big boost and serious horsepower, firings might be the better choice. But that doesn’t mean they’re the right call for every truck. Firings are great for power but can be tricky when it comes to sealing coolant and surviving daily street use. O-rings, on the other hand, are more forgiving and easier to work with. They offer solid reliability and can handle a good amount of power without needing a ton of machine work or specialty gaskets.We talk about the importance of proper machine work, how far things have come with modern equipment, and why precision matters more than ever. We also explain what hot torquing is, how to do it right, and why proper torque specs are crucial if you want your engine to live under pressure. You’ll hear real-world stories from the shop, examples from customer trucks, and even some of our personal builds that have seen everything from daily towing duties to full race setups making over 1800 horsepower.This episode came straight from a YouTube comment, and we appreciate the feedback. If there’s something you want us to break down or explain in a future episode, drop us a comment. We read every single one and we’re always looking for new ideas. Make sure to like, subscribe, and share it with your buddies in the diesel world. Whether you are new to performance builds or a seasoned gearhead, this episode has plenty of useful info to help you get the most out of your truck.

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• DIY Diesel Tuning for 5.9L Common Rail Cummins

  In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, we are diving into one of the most requested topics from our listeners: how to tune your own common rail diesel truck. If you just picked up a 2006 Dodge 5.9L Cummins or you have been around common rails for a while, this episode is packed with the information you need to get started the right way.We break down what it really takes to tune your truck using platforms like EFI Live, MM3, and HP Tuners. This is not a simple plug-and-play walkthrough. It is an honest conversation about learning from scratch, the mistakes we have made, and the things we wish someone had told us earlier. We talk about fuel limiter tables, rail pressure strategies, injector duration, timing maps, and how to build safe, functional tunes that make real power.You will hear why tuning your own truck is not going to save you money, but why it might still be worth doing if you are the type of person who enjoys learning, experimenting, and dialing in a setup that feels exactly how you want it. We talk about using five-position switches to test different timing curves, how to recognize when you are running into limiters, how to work with data logs, and what to adjust when your truck is hazy at idle or surging down the road.This episode covers the differences between tuning platforms, the basics of setting up your tables, and how to stay out of trouble while making your first tuning adjustments. We also touch on more advanced topics like lope tunes, pilot injection strategies, fuel pressure scaling, and the limits of factory ECMs as you push for higher horsepower.Whether you are chasing a cleaner idle, better drivability, or trying to break into four-digit horsepower territory, we walk through the mindset, tools, and steps needed to get started in custom tuning. This episode is for the diesel performance enthusiast who wants more than a cookie-cutter tune and is willing to put in the work to build something personal.

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• Why Your 12-Valve Cummins Isn’t Making Power

  In this episode of the Power Driven Podcast, the crew digs into one of the most common and frustrating issues that diesel enthusiasts face: when a truck simply does not make the power it should. Whether it is a fresh build that underwhelms on its first test drive or a reliable setup that suddenly starts to feel sluggish, the team breaks down how they diagnose and solve low-power conditions using real-world experience and proven techniques. With years of dyno testing, street tuning, and customer support under their belts, the Power Driven team shares the process they rely on to get trucks back on track and performing at their best.Listeners will hear about the full spectrum of potential culprits, starting with the basics like throttle cable slack, improperly reinstalled shut-off solenoids, or overlooked fuel delivery problems. The crew explains how something as simple as a missing washer or loose linkage can limit rack travel and leave hundreds of horsepower on the table. From there, the conversation moves into deeper mechanical issues such as AFC housing problems, star wheel misadjustments, and governor spring configurations that limit RPM and fuel delivery.The episode is packed with shop stories, including firsthand experiences with Frankenstein, the team’s well-known compound turbo build, and other trucks that taught valuable lessons through trial and error. Listeners will learn why monitoring fuel pressure under load is critical, how to read smoke output for tuning clues, and what happens when boost leaks or exhaust restrictions choke performance. The crew also shares practical methods for diagnosing these problems without a dyno, using data from the street, stopwatch tests, and careful observation.Throughout the episode, the Power Driven team emphasizes the importance of understanding the interaction between airflow, fueling, and timing. They explain why timing slip can silently kill power, how turbo systems respond to small leaks, and how small changes to star wheels or diaphragm preload can have big impacts on drivability. This kind of deep mechanical insight is rarely shared outside of professional shops, making this episode a valuable resource for builders, tuners, and weekend warriors alike.If your diesel is not performing like it should, or if you are planning your next build and want to avoid common pitfalls, this episode delivers the insight you need. With real advice from professionals who live and breathe diesel performance every day, it is the ultimate guide for diagnosing and fixing low-power issues the right way.

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